This invention is directed toward a unit to allow exercising of all the muscles in a persons shoulder in a measurable repeatable fashion.
After many types of injuries to the body, physical therapy is required to restore the injured member to previous capability. Commonly, various exercise devices may be used by the physical therapist. Our patent search uncovered the several patents listed below which were directed to exercising to build muscles in the arm; usually in a manner to mimic arm wrestling. We did not find prior art directed toward rehabilitation of an injured shoulder.
The following patents have been considered:
______________________________________ Serial No. Date ______________________________________ 4811944 3/14/89 4509747 4/9/85 4461474 7/24/84 4423862 1/3/84 3742284 7/3/73 3662602 5/16/72 3563542 2/16/71 ______________________________________
The abstract of a German patent, October 1978 DT No. 2716046 indicated an apparatus to strengthen arm and shoulder muscles but movement was in only one plane and the unit would not suffice for the necessary exercise for shoulder rehabilitation.
The invention encompasses a lever arm with means to increase resistance to motion of the lever arm and means to hold the lever arm at various angles during use.
The unit may be equipped: (1) with a counter to indicate swings of a lever arm; (2) a some indication of force needed to swing the lever arm; and (3) read out of angle or position of mounting plate for the lever arm relative to the horizontal along with a counter, a force measure, and a resettable clock type mechanism with an alarm to indicate to the user the end of time in a period he has chosen.